Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2003 08:53:16 -0400
Reply-To: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject: Re: Exhaust Replacement - Aftermarket
In-Reply-To: <!~!UENERkVCMDkAAQACAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgAAAAAAAAAOB3avrjGAEOt5QRvXY4WkMKAAAAQAAAAT/UpjSeWa06mVr/YvGFBwwEAAAAA@shaw.ca>
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> I was poking through the archives and the general consensus
> was "OEM good" "Aftermarket bad" on the exhaust replacement subject.
>
> However - faced with a replacement cost of over $300 for an
> OEM muffler and my local Midas guy getting me a complete
> exhaust system fro 495, I'm going to ask if anyone has ever
> had experience with a S&S (or SNS?) Stainless steel
> 'performance' exhaust and is there any feedback?
Since nobody has replied (at least on-list) I suppose I'll tackle
this...
On an aircooled Vanagon (excluding California), you have three three
options; on a California emissions vehicle one option. None of them are
as expensive as you noted; you are shopping at the wrong places!
Stock system: This is the only one that will accept the cat converter,
which is legally required on all Vanagons (altough enforcementcan vary).
We sell the complete system for $285 (excluding the CAT itself, which is
another $95). Links:
http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=071251053CK for the
system, http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=22916 for the
cat.
Stock '72-74 Bus system: This was used on Vanagons in Europe, where no
CAT or EGR filter was required. It is a direct bolt-on replacement
(other than having no provision for CAT or EGR), and every bit as good
quality as the above (perhaps better if you get the Stainless version).
$190 for stainless, $152 for stock. Stainless:
http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=071251053EKS Stock:
http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=071251053EK .
Aftermarket header or extractor system: There are many, none of which
accept a CAT. Ours is $95;
http://www.busdepot.com/busdepot/details.jsp?partnumber=51787 , and is
better than most in that it's quieter and also less flimsy than many of
the really low-end Chinese ones out there. However, my advice is still
to go with one of the above options, as they are all noticably better
quality and quieter, and any claimed peformance increase from the
"extractor" setups will be negligable on a "real world" basis.
(Incidentally, S&S, the brand you mentioned, is a brand name, and not an
indication that the system is stainless steel. We do stock S&S header
systems, although the ones mentioned for this particular application are
not S&S.)
If you have California Emissions, your van uses a crossover pipe that is
no longer available, and takes an 02 sensor which none of the above has
a provision for. However, it is possible to order a modified version of
the first setup that will work with a California emissions aircooled
Vanagon, even if not exactly stock. You will have to replace your left
heat exchanger with a non-California heat exchanger.
(http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=071256091B) Then order
the $285 system above, but request a 1.9L watercooled muffler in place
of the aircooled one. You can put this in the "comments "section of the
order form. (Keep it brief; only 30 characters accepted.) We will charge
you $15 extra for this change. You will then need a different CAT
(http://www.busdepot.com/busdepot/details.jsp?partnumber=22918) because
this one will accept your 02 sensor.
All prices include listmember discount. To get this discount you must
enter coupon code list1e on the "view cart" page after you are done
shopping, just before going to the checkout page.
- Ron Salmon
The Bus Depot, Inc.
www.busdepot.com
(215) 234-VWVW
_____________________________________________
Toll-Free for Orders by PART # : 1-866-BUS-DEPOT
